Hot grease from an unattended frying pan is being blamed for a fire Monday evening that forced a couple from their Butler duplex, authorities said.

One of the renters — 45-year-old Theresa Merisko — suffered a minor burn on the arm while helping rescue two dogs from the two-story house in the 300 block of West Brady Street.

Quick-action by Butler firefighters contained the blaze shortly after 7 p.m. to the kitchen of the upstairs apartment, according to investigators. Damage was estimated at $25,000.

Merisko and Robert Kennedy, 47, who live at the second-story apartment, told investigators that they were home cooking tater tots on their electric stove when the fire started.

“They left the kitchen for a few minutes and when they went back to check on the food they found the fire,” said Lt. Bob Dougherty of the Butler Fire Department.

The couple wasted little time getting out. But before she fled, Merisko went back into the kitchen to get the dogs.

“That’s when she got burned from the heat on the back of the arm,” Dougherty said. “It was a thermal burn.”

Fire officials described the burn as minor. A Butler Ambulance Service crew treated Merisko at the scene. She refused further medical treatment.

Within three minutes of the 911 call at 7:07 p.m., firefighters were at the house, owned by Robert Isaacs of Lyndora. The first-floor apartment was vacant.

The fire was extinguished “in minutes,” Dougherty said.

Authorities said Isaacs has insurance on the house but they did not know if the tenants have renters’ insurance.

The Butler County chapter of the American Red Cross was called to assist the couple with emergency needs.

Firefighters left the house just before 8:40 p.m. but they were called back about 10 minutes later for a reported rekindle.

“The second call,” Dougherty said, “was from clothing still smoldering in the corner of the kitchen.”